Why Internet Should Be Treated as a Public Utility, How to Offer BAs Degrees in Prison, and Meet the OER Spark Community Advisors

Over 100 Years After Electrification: Will California Lead the Way to Internet as a Public Utility??

Broadband internet has become an increasingly vital necessity in everyday life—and yet it is still being treated as a luxury in the marketplace instead of a utility from which everyone, everywhere can benefit. As the Affordable Connectivity Program comes to an end, California has a monumental, once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead our communities into a new era of equitable connectivity. Learn more from Cristal Mojica , Michelson 20MM Senior Program Manager, on the opportunity before the state and the challenges that must be overcome to seize it.?

Did you know that there are thousands of incarcerated individuals in California who already have associates degrees and are eager to pursue a four-year degree?

On March 13th, the 美国加州大学尔湾分校 Leveraging Inspiring Futures Through Educational Degrees (LIFTED) team shared how they are bringing UC bachelor's degrees into prison. Discover how they are implementing California's Best Practices: Pathways From Prison to College; meet Ryan Flaco Rising, a former UCI LIFTED student turned teacher; and learn about the program's expansion to the University of California, Riverside . Read the recap.

2/3 of postsecondary students skip buying textbooks due to price. We have enlisted the help of individuals who use and benefit from open educational resources (#OER) to identify projects that advance equity and make textbooks accessible. Please welcome the Spark Community Advisors, who will ensure community-guided and effective investments. Meet the Advisors.

Events and Updates

March 21, The State of Pregnant and Parenting Students in California: The passage of AB 2881 represents major progress toward serving over 480,000 student parents across California’s higher education systems. Join us to uncover how implementation is going throughout the state. Register.

April 9th and 10th, Digital Equity 101 and Advocacy Day: We are heading to Sacramento on April 9th to discuss the issue of digital discrimination along with the Michelson Center for Public Policy and nonprofit partners. The following day, over a dozen digital equity-focused nonprofits will meet with the key committee members charged with hearing 2024's digital equity bills as we outline the need and help center the needs of our communities.

The latest installment of the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, which was held in Temecula, California, March 10-13th, served as a powerful community resource and tool in support of digital sovereignty and self-determination for all tribal communities. Cristal Mojica shares highlights from the bootcamp.

Meet Us in the Field

March 21: The The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP) is opening their Malibu headquarters. Kenia Miranda Verdugo , Smart Justice Program Manager, will attend and hopes to see you there.

March 26-28: Chinwe Ohanele, Esq. , The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property Senior Program Manager, will be in Alexandria, Virginia, for InventEd Convening 2024: Turning Passion into Action. Stop by and say hi!

March 28: Michelson 20MM CEO Phillip Kim will be Chicago for the 7th Intellectual Property Awareness Summit.

April 14-17: The Michelson 20MM team looks forward to connecting at the ASU + GSV Summit in San Diego, California.??

April 17-19: Join Queena Hoang, Ed.D. , Student Basic Needs Senior Program Manager, at the 2024 CalWORKs Association Conference where attendees will discuss "Leading Transformational Change, One Family at a Time."

Opportunities

We are hiring a Student Basic Needs Program Coordinator and Michelson IP Program Coordinator! If you are passionate about?accelerating progress toward a more just world, learn more and apply to join our team!